DysphoricMania:MugzyBrown: I don't know why people seem to think a fight with N Korea would be cake.

Because it would be, if we had ground forces in place. It's more like pie at the moment... we would have air superiority overnight. We could decapitate the CnC abilities and air defenses within a week. However, you can't win a war with air power alone. Something going down with NoKo would be something similar like we did to Iraq back in '91...where we had a few weeks to load in the ground forces. Sure, we can do amphib attacks better than anyone, but that's limited in scale. We would need at least 2-4 weeks to move in troops, tanks, supplies... but we -could- do so should the need arise.

awalkingecho:PanicMan: Listen, if you need food, just ask for food. If you need technology, just ask for it. We'll give it to you. In our country we give our children iPads and mini electric cars. These things are toys to us. The only cost will be you gotta lighten up a bit, and open up more. Tell us things. Tell us what you need.

You want to stay a farm country? Fine. But use modern methods so you can actually feed your people.

It's not really CT, China is making play into Africa for access to minerals and resources. North has a metric ton of mineral and metal resources as well, they just lack the technology and ability to get at them.

Here's the think about the north, though while they are cozy with China they technically do not let China in. They use China as a power chip play against the US and the west in general. In short, no one informed them that the cold war ended years ago, and we don't give a shiat about communism anymore, we just want our cheap electronics.

China is looking at this propped up dictatorship and for the first time actually weighing in the cost vs benefit ration and wondering if maybe just perhaps they either turn a blind eye for a bit, or handle the problem themselves if they couldn't be better off.

Sensual Tyrannosaurus:I don't know why everyone's so worried about China. Their official statements have basically been "We think America is showing proper restraint and North Korea is off the chain and needs to reign it back in" and their media as a whole is very critical of Un, even calling him 'Fatty Kim' and such.Hell, if North Korea touches anyone in the region China will probably flatten them, and I would very much like to see that. I'm tired of America playing the lone sheriff in town. There are other strong countries, let them take care of their local problems.

With all the talk of debt payoff, perhaps the US and China struck a deal to give China BK's mineral reserves.

On the other hand, the aftermath of the Great 2 Hour War with BK would make an awesome Fallout 5.